Welcome, DVM Class of 2028!

Congratulations on your acceptance to the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine's Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program! We look forward to your arrival on campus in August, and we are excited to learn more about you during the orientation program we have planned for you.

Please explore the information available through the "Entering Student Resources" menu to prepare for your arrival in August. You will be receiving lots of communication over the next several months, we are here to help with the transition into the VMCVM DVM program. Reach out to us at acadaff@vt.edu or 540-231-4090 if we can provide further assistance.

Welcome to our college family!

Sincerely,
Your Academic Affairs team

Welcome from the college's Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association president

To the incoming students of the DVM Class of 2028,

Congratulations on your acceptance to the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine (VMCVM)! All those years of hard work, all those prerequisites endured, and all of those hurdles you had to overcome have brought you to this incredible milestone. As you prepare to take the next big step on your way to becoming a fully-fledged veterinarian, know that everyone here in our VMCVM community is beyond excited to welcome you and to do whatever we can to support you in this new endeavor.

I am sure you are all feeling a range of emotions right now. I sure was. Even though it has somehow been two years already, I can still vividly remember the moment I saw that acceptance letter arrive in my inbox. That wave of excitement, glee, and pride I felt for what I had accomplished, followed by anxiety over what lay ahead. If you are in the same boat, know that this is absolutely normal. It is no secret that veterinary school is a challenging experience. The thought of taking this next step may feel daunting, but the information you will receive between now and orientation will help prepare you to start your time here at VMCVM. Above all else, never forget that you have earned your place here and deserve everything that is in store for you. For these next few months, I would encourage you all to take some time to recognize that, reward yourself for what you have achieved, and spend time with those who have been supportive and helped you get to this point.

Beyond a world class curriculum, our (your!) college has a wide range of opportunities for you to take advantage of, and one of the best ways for you to do this is by exploring the various organizations and clubs that we have on campus. These organizations offer a wide variety of activities for any path you might want to take in the veterinary field, focused on both small and large animal medicine, public health and exotic species, and many veterinary specialties. These clubs regularly bring in faculty and outside speakers to run case rounds, coordinate wet labs, and give supplemental lectures. Aside from these professionally focused clubs, we have many organizations focused on non-veterinary topics, such as Pride VMCVM, Student Chapter of the National Association for Black Veterinarians, Christian Veterinary Fellowship, and many, many more. Our list of clubs and organizations is ever growing. At VMCVM, these organizations all fall under SAVMA, the Student chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Much like student government, our SAVMA chapter serves as an “Umbrella” to student organizations.

While our SAVMA chapter's main purpose is to support the student body, it also functions as an individual club. We host financial wellness and debt panels, community-wide events, biweekly yoga and exercise classes, talks with veterinary students from across the world, a free coffee tab during finals, and a myriad of other social events to provide entertaining breaks from studying. Nationally, our SAVMA leadership represents VMCVM within the veterinary profession, attending three national conventions each year and advocating for our fellow students to improve the profession that we will all soon be entering. We collaborate with and learn from students from other colleges, allowing us to provide you all with the best possible experience during your time at VMCVM.

As your SAVMA president, I encourage you to be more than “just” a student this fall. Step out of your comfort zone and seek out the plethora of opportunities at your disposal. Join a club that piques your interest. Apply for that research assistant role you see posted. Sign up for flag football. Do what you can to enhance your education outside of the classroom and build lasting relationships with the peers and mentors that surround you.  I promise that you will not regret it. I hope that you all feel welcomed into your new community, and please never hesitate to reach out to me for any help or advice about this program. My job is to be a resource and advocate for all DVM students as they navigate through the ups and downs of this challenging experience, and now that includes you.

I look forward to meeting each and every one of you when you arrive on campus. Until then, hold onto the excitement you first felt upon reading that well-deserved acceptance letter. Focus on spending time with your loved ones. Enjoy doing your favorite activities and hobbies before your free time is monopolized by lecture captures and studying. Veterinary school will be a challenge. There will be times that you feel invincible and on top of the world, and there will be times where you feel quite the opposite. We all go through it, and imposter syndrome is unfortunately one of the friends you will make during this program if you are not already well acquainted. When those lows hit, please just remind yourself how amazing and truly capable you are! Find a good support system to lean on when times like those hit, and please always feel welcome to reach out to me if I can be that for you. You have all been accepted into this program over thousands of others because you deserve it and are meant to be here. Do not let a bad day tell you otherwise.

Welcome to the VMCVM Class of 2028! We are all so excited to meet you!

Daniel Fields